Medication Container and Medication Dispensing Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A medication container and a medication dispensing apparatus are provided for allowing medications to smoothly fall from a medication discharge opening.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a medication dispensing apparatus forsupplying patients with pills as medication specified in a prescription,and to a medication container for use in the medication dispensingapparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

Hospitals and pharmacies sometimes use a medication dispensing apparatusto supply patients with medications, particularly pills, specified indoctors' prescriptions. Such medication dispensing apparatus includes amedication container (also referred to as a “medication cassette”)detachably provided therein. As an example of the medication container,Patent Document 1 proposes the following technique.

The medication container disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes acontainer body having: a bottom wall section that extends laterally; anda medication holding section rising from the bottom wall section, themedication holding section having therein a rotor rotatable about avertical axis, the rotor having, on its cylindrical outer peripheralsurface, medication holding passages that are circumferentially spaced,each extending vertically, the bottom wall section having a medicationdischarge opening that extends through the bottom wall section, and therotor rotating to cause the medication discharge opening to verticallyface one of the medication holding passages to communicate therewith.

The medication discharge opening is formed in the bottom wall in such amanner that its one end surface, extending vertically, is positionedimmediately under the lower end of the inner peripheral surface of themedication holding section to inwardly face the other end surface of themedication discharge opening.

In the medication container with this structure, rotation of the rotorcauses one of the medication holding passages to face the medicationdischarge opening, allowing medications to pass through the medicationdischarge opening to fall from the medication holding passage.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT Patent Document

-   Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.    Hei-10-314277

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

The above structure, however, can be problematic when medications do notfall smoothly from the medication discharge opening and stick to theback side of the bottom wall due to static charge. As a result, it isimpossible to count the number of times medications are discharged fromthe medication discharge opening.

The problem of medications sticking to the back side of the bottom walldue to static charge is particularly likely to occur when the medicationcontainer is dried to prevent medications from absorbing moisture orwhen medications to be handled are lightweight.

In view of the above problem, it is an object of the present inventionto provide a medication container and a medication dispensing apparatusthat allow medications to fall smoothly from the medication dischargeopening.

Means to Solve the Problem

The medication container of the present invention includes: a containerbody having: a bottom wall section; and a medication holding sectiondisposed on the upper surface of the bottom wall section, the medicationholding section having: a cylindrical body rising from the upper surfaceof the bottom wall section, the cylindrical body being configured toallow a rotor to be disposed radially inside, the rotor being rotatableabout a vertical axis, the rotor having: a medication holding passage,formed vertically by recessing a portion of the outer peripheral surfaceof the rotor radially inward; the bottom wall section having: amedication discharge opening formed in a portion of the bottom wallsection to allow medications to fall to be discharged through themedication discharge opening, and the rotor rotating to cause themedication holding passage and the medication discharge opening tovertically face each other to allow medications held in the medicationholding passage to pass through the medication discharge opening to falltherefrom, wherein a wall in a radially outward area of the medicationdischarge opening, at least at its lower end, is positioned radiallyoutward of a meeting position where an inner peripheral surface of thecylindrical body meets the upper surface of the bottom wall section.

In the above arrangement, when the rotor rotates about the vertical axisto allow the medication holding passage and the medication dischargeopening to vertically face each other, medications held in themedication holding passage are moved toward the medication dischargeopening so as to pass therethrough (fall).

In this structure, in which the radially outer wall of the medicationdischarge opening, at least at its lower end, is positioned radiallyoutward of a meeting position where an inner peripheral surface of thecylindrical body meets the upper surface of the bottom wall, themedication discharge opening has a larger opening area at its lower endthan at an upper portion. This means medications, when passing throughthe medication discharge opening to fall, come into contact with lessarea of the wall of the medication discharge opening at the lower end ofthe wall, which results in the medications being less likely to stick tothe back side of the bottom wall in an radially outer area of themedication discharge opening even when they are electrostaticallycharged.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structurein which a radially outer portion of the medication discharge opening ispositioned radially outward of the outer surface of the cylindricalbody.

According to this structure, the radially outer portion of themedication discharge opening is configured to be further expanded, sothat medications are less likely to stick to the back side of the bottomwall in the area radially outward of the medication discharge openingeven when they are electrostatically charged.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structurein which a cutout is formed at a lower end of the cylindrical body to berecessed upward to be continuous with the medication discharge opening.

The inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body can serve as aguide surface for medications falling from the medication holdingpassage to the medication discharge opening. Thus, it is possible tohave a guide surface for medications falling, while at the same timeallowing medications to be in contact with less area of the containerbody immediately before they pass through the medication dischargeopening because of the cutout formed at the lower end of the cylindricalbody to be recessed upward, and hence the medications to be less likelyto stick to the back side of the bottom wall in the area radiallyoutward of the medication discharge opening even when they areelectrostatically charged.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structurein which the upper surface of the cutout is positioned higher than theupper surface of the bottom wall section.

In the above structure, after medications fall to reach the cutout, theyare in contact with significantly less area of the container body, whichresults in the medications being less likely to stick to the back sideof the bottom wall section in the area radially outward of themedication discharge opening even when they are electrostaticallycharged.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structurein which a cover is provided for covering the medication dischargeopening and the cutout from radially outside of the cylindrical body.

This structure prevents dust or the like from coming in from radiallyoutside of the cutout and the medication discharge opening.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structurein which the upper surface of the cutout is an uneven surface in whichrecesses and projections are alternately formed.

According to this structure, air comes into the uneven surface, whichresults in preventing medications from easily sticking to the uppersurface of the cutout even if force is applied for medications to stickto the upper surface due to static charge.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structurein which a medication discharge opening is formed into a substantiallyrectangular shape as viewed in plan, and the outer wall as an radiallyoutward wall of the medication discharge opening and the inner wall atan radially inward portion face each other in the radially inward andoutward direction.

The rectangular shape of the medication discharge opening enables,because of its simplicity, easier production of medication containers.

As used herein, the term “radially inward and outward” is defined withrespect to the center of the cylindrical body. That is, the term“radially inward” refers to the direction toward the center of thecylindrical body, and the term “radially outward” refers to thedirection away from the center of the cylindrical body.

The medication dispensing apparatus of the present invention may includeany one of the above-described medication containers in an attachableand detachable manner.

Advantages of the Invention

The medication container and the medication dispensing apparatus of thepresent invention have an advantage in that: When a rotor rotates abouta vertical axis to allow the medication holding passage and themedication discharge opening to vertically face each other andmedications held in the medication holding passage are moved to themedication discharge opening to pass therethrough (fall), it is possibleto effectively prevent the medications from sticking to the back side ofthe bottom wall in the area radially outward of the medication dischargeopening, even if medications are electrostatically charged. This is madepossible because the wall of the radially outer portion of themedication discharge opening, at least at its lower end, is positionedradially outward of a meeting position where an inner peripheral surfaceof a cylindrical portion meets the upper surface of the bottom wall,which results in a larger opening space at the lower end than at anupper portion so that medications are less likely to come into contactwith the wall of the medication discharge opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged side view of a medication dispensingapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the medication dispensing apparatus witha number of medication containers attached to its body.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of one of the medicationcontainers.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the medication container as viewed fromfront and above.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view of the medication containerthrough the center in the circumferential direction.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the medication container as viewed frombelow.

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the medicationcontainer as viewed from below.

FIG. 8 is an overall plan view of the medication container.

FIG. 9 is a lateral cross sectional view of the medication container ata location of a separator.

FIG. 10 is a perspective vertical cross sectional view of the medicationcontainer through the center in the circumferential direction.

FIG. 11 is a front cross sectional view of the medication container at alocation of a medication discharge opening.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the medication container as viewed fromrear.

FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the medication container.

FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged bottom view of the medication container.

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the medication container as viewedfrom arrow A-A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of themedication container according to another embodiment.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of themedication container according to still another embodiment.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of themedication container according to yet another embodiment.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of themedication container according to another embodiment.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of themedication container according to still another embodiment.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of themedication container according to yet another embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The medication dispensing apparatus according to embodiments of thepresent invention is described below with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged side view of the medicationdispensing apparatus, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the medicationdispensing apparatus with a number of medication containers attached toits body, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of one ofthe medication containers.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the medication dispensing apparatus 1includes: a body 2 having a cylindrical shape; supports 3 each having afan shape, provided in large numbers, the supports 3 projecting radiallyfrom the body 2 in the horizontal direction; and medication containers 4(also referred to as “medication cassettes”) arranged on the supports 3by being housed between the vertically adjacent supports 3, themedication containers 4 being attachable and detachable by its back andforth movement relative to the body 2

The supports 3 each are formed into a plate shape, and each have pillpassage holes (not shown) on the plate surfaces to allow pills 5 asmedications (cf., FIG. 3) to fall toward a lower end of the body 2. Adetector such as a sensor (not shown) is provided on an inner surface ofthe pill passage hole to detect the passing of the pills 5.

A structure of the medication container 4 is now described. FIG. 4 is aperspective view of the medication container as viewed from front andabove, FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view of the medicationcontainer through the center in the circumferential direction, FIG. 6 isa perspective view of the medication container as viewed from below, andFIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the medicationcontainer as viewed from below.

As shown in these Figures, the medication container 4 includes: acontainer body 6; a rotor 8 rotatable about a vertical axis 7 (avertical direction axis line); a separator 10 for allowing pills 5 tofall one by one to the lower end of the body 2; a gear (a spur gearaccording to an embodiment) attached to the lower end of a rotatingshaft, which is a rotation center member of the rotor 8; and a guideroller 11 for guiding the attachment and detachment of the medicationcontainers to and from the supports 3.

The container body 6 includes: a bottom wall section 12 having a fanshape as viewed in plan; and a medication holding section 14 formedintegrally on an upper surface of a bottom wall plate 13 of the bottomwall section 12.

The bottom wall section 12 includes: the bottom wall plate 13 having afan shape as viewed in plan; lateral frames 15 that are integrallyformed with the bottom plate 13 on both side ends in the circumferentialdirection, each extending along the front and back direction; and afront frame 16 that is integrally formed with the bottom wall plate 13on the front end side, extending along the circumferential direction.

The lateral frames 15 and the front frame 16 have the same,predetermined height. With the container body 6 attached onto the uppersurface of the support 3, the bottom wall plate 13 is kept away from theupper surface of the support 3 by a distance equivalent to the height ofthe lateral frames 15 and the front frame 16.

The medication holding section 14 integrally includes: a cylindricalbody 17 as a lower holder rising upward in the vertical direction froman upper surface 13 a of the bottom wall plate 13, the cylindrical body17 being configured to allow the rotor 8 to be mounted within its innercircumferential side; and an upper holder 18 having a fan shape asviewed in plan, disposed on the cylindrical body 17. The bottom surfaceof the upper holder 18 is composed of an inclined wall 20 that isinclined downward toward the upper end of the cylindrical body 17.

The cylindrical body 17 is provided with a grip 21 in front, which is tobe held during attachment or detachment of the medication container 4.

The wall plate 13 has a medication discharge opening 22 having arectangular shape as viewed in plan, in the area behind thecircumferential center, and the medication discharge opening 22vertically faces the pill passage holes.

A cylindrical projecting portion 23 is integrally formed with the wallplate 13 to project upward therefrom, in the central area of thecylindrical body 17, in front of the medication discharge opening 22,and the rotating shaft is inserted into the cylindrical projectingportion 23 from above to pass therethrough.

A structure of the separator 10 is now described. FIG. 8 is an overallplan view of the medication container 4, FIG. 9 is a lateral crosssectional view of the medication container at a location of theseparator 10, FIG. 10 is a perspective vertical sectional view of themedication container through the center in the circumferentialdirection, and FIG. 11 is a front cross sectional view of the medicationcontainer at a location of the medication discharge opening 22.

The separator 10 is intended to ensure that a predetermined number (onein this case) of pills 5 are dropped, of those stored in alater-described medication holding passage 24 toward the medicationdischarge opening 22.

The separator 10 is disposed in an insertion hole 25 circumferentiallyformed in a rear wall of the cylindrical body 17, to extend from back tofront so as to be exposed within the cylindrical body 17. The separator10 has a base portion 26 disposed outside the cylindrical body 17. Thebase portion 26 is, at its one side, detachably attached with screws 28to a support projection 27, which projects backward from an area of theouter peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 17, close to one of itsside ends.

The upper surface of the exposed portion of the separator 10, which isexposed within the cylindrical body 17, is made up of an inclined guidesurface 30 that is inclined upward from upstream to downstream in therotating direction of the rotor 8 and a horizontal surface 31 positioneddownstream of the inclined guide surface 30.

A structure of the rotor 8 is now described. The rotor 8 includes alower rotating member 32 and an upper rotating member 33. The rotatingshaft includes an outer shaft member 34 disposed in the lower rotatingmember 32 and an inner shaft member 35 disposed in the upper rotatingmember 33.

The lower rotating member 32 has the outer shaft member 34 fitted intothe cylindrical projecting portion 23 from above and projecting downwardwith respect to the bottom wall plate 13. The upper rotating member 33has the inner shaft member 35 fitted into the outer shaft member 34 fromabove and projecting downward with respect to the bottom wall plate 13.

The lower rotating member 32 is formed into a disc shape, and the upperrotating member 33 is placed on the upper surface of the lower rotatingmember 32 in such a manner that the bottom surface of the upper rotatingmember 33 is slidable in the circumferential direction. The diameter ofthe lower rotating member 32 is sized to be slightly smaller than theinner diameter of the inner circumference 36 of the cylindrical body 17.

The lower rotating member 32 has, in its radial center, a protrudingportion 40 fitted into the bottom surface recessed portion 38 that isformed at the center of the back surface of the upper rotating member33. The outer shaft member 34 is integrally formed with the protrudingportion 40, to extend from radially inward of the protruding portion 40to downward.

The outer shaft member 34 has, as the aforesaid gear, a large-diametergear 41, externally fitted, at its lower end below the lower surface 13b of the bottom wall plate 13.

A locking portion 39 a of a leaf spring 39 comes into locking engagementwith the gear teeth of the large-diameter gear 41 from the lateral sideso as to prevent unexpected rotation of the lower rotating member 32.

The lower rotating member 32 has a plurality of medication holdingpassages 24, each of which extends vertically, on its outercircumferential surface. The medication holding passages 24 are formedby recessing radially inward the outer circumferential surface of thelower rotating member 32 at a circumferentially equal interval.

The circumferential width and the height of the medication holdingpassages 24 are defined to hold only one of the pills 5.

The top surface of the upper rotating member 33 is of a substantiallyconical shape, with a portion thereof being cut to provide an inclinedflat surface 44 that is inclined downward in the radially outwarddirection.

The upper rotating member 33 is disposed relative to the innerperipheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 with gaps interposedtherebetween, through which the pills can fall. In other words, theouter peripheral side 33 a of the upper rotating member 33 faces theinner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 in the radiallyinward and outward direction with the gaps 19 interposed therebetween.The radial width of each gap 19 is almost equal to the radial width ofthe medication holding passage 24.

Such structure of the upper rotating member 33 allows the pills 5, whenplaced on the top surface of the upper rotating member 33, to slip offin an obliquely downward direction along the top surface or the inclinedflat surface 44, so as to be received by the medication holding passage24.

The upper rotating member 33 has the inner shaft member 35 providedalong the vertical direction in the radial center of the bottom surfacerecessed portion 38.

The inner shaft member 35 is fitted into the outer shaft member 34,extending through the bottom wall plate 13, with its lower endpositioned below the lower end of the outer shaft member 34. The innershaft member 35 has a small-diameter gear 45 that is externally fittedto its lower end. The diameter of the small-diameter gear 45 is smallerthan that of the large-diameter gear 41.

As described, the outer shaft member 34 and the inner shaft member 35have gears having different diameters attached thereto. This allows theupper rotating member 33 and the lower rotating member 32 to rotateabout the vertical axis 7 at different speeds when the medicationcontainer 4 is attached onto the support 3 and the gears are rotated.

A coil spring 48 (a compression spring), as an example of an elasticbody, is arranged to be externally mounted to the cylindrical projectingportion 23, using the upper surface 13 a of the bottom wall plate 13 andthe inside surface 47 of the protruding portion 40 as spring sheets. Theelasticity of the coil spring 48 causes the rotor 8 to be biased towardthe direction in which the rotor 8 is kept away from the upper surface13 a of the bottom wall plate 13. The coil spring 48 expands andcontracts according to the weight depending on the amount of the pills5. At least when there are no pills 5 on the rotor 8, the bottom surfaceof the rotor 8 is kept slightly above the upper surface 13 a of thebottom wall plate 13.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the medication container 4 as viewedfrom rear, FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the medication container 4, FIG.14 is a partially enlarged bottom view of the medication container 4,and FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the medication container 4 asviewed from arrows A-A of FIG. 3.

With reference to these Figures as well as FIGS. 3, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11,a structure of the medication discharge opening 22 and its peripheralportions is described below in more detail.

As described above, the medication discharge opening 22 is bored to havea rectangular shape as viewed in plan. The front wall 50 and the rearwall 51, which form the medication discharge opening 22, face each otherin the front and back direction, and two side walls 52, 53 face eachother in the right and left direction.

A position P1 of the front wall 50 is now described. The front wall 50has a vertical surface. The front wail 50 is positioned closer to thecenter (closer to the vertical axis 7), with respect to a virtual circlethat would be drawn with the vertical axis 7, which is the rotationcenter of the rotor 8, as its center, and radially inner surfaces 55 ofthe medication holding passages 24 continued to each other.

A position P2 of the rear wall 51 is now described. The rear wall 51 hasa vertical surface. The rear wall 51 is positioned behind the outerperipheral surface 42 of the cylindrical body 17, with the vertical axis7, which is the rotation center of the rotor 8, as the center. That is,the rear wall 51 is positioned behind a meeting position P3 where aninner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 meets the uppersurface 13 a of the bottom wall plate 13 (positioned radially outward ofthe rotor 8).

The amount of positional displacement is not particularly specified, butpreferably, it may be appropriately determined depending on conditionssuch as the shape, diameter and size of the pills 5 to be handled.

The side walls 52 and 53 each have a vertical surface. The distancebetween them in the right and left direction is set to be larger thanthe circumferential width of the medication holding passage 24.

A cutout 56 is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical body 17, inthe area vertically corresponding to the medication discharge opening22. The cutout 56 is recessed upward so as to be continuous with themedication discharge opening 22.

Since the cutout 56 is upwardly recessed to be continuous with themedication discharge opening 22, it is apparent that the upper wallsurface 57 of the cutout 56 is positioned higher than the upper surface13 a of the bottom wall plate 13. The upper wall surface 57 is a flatsurface.

A cover 58 is provided for covering the medication discharge opening 22and the cutout 56 from radially outside of the cylindrical body 17.

The cover 58 has a rising wall 60 and an extension wall 61. The risingwall 60 has an inner wall surface 62 rising upward from the position ofthe rear wall 51 of the medication discharge opening 22. The extensionwall 61 has a lower wall surface 63 extending backward from the positionof the upper wall surface 57 of the cutout 56. The right and left sidesof the rising wall 60 and the extension wall 61, of the cover 58 areclosed with vertical wall pieces 64.

The cover 58 with this structure is integrally formed with thecylindrical body 17 and the bottom wall plate 13.

The upper wall surface 57 of the cutout 56 and the lower wall surface 63of the extension wall 61 are uneven surfaces in which recesses andprojections are alternately formed in the circumferential direction.Recessed and projecting portions 63 a, 63 b, which constitute the unevensurfaces, each extend in the radially inward and outward direction(front and back direction) across the uneven surfaces.

In the medication dispensing apparatus 1 having the above structure, acover 4A of the medication container 4 is opened for the pills 5 to bethrown from the upper holder 18 into the container body 6, and then thecover 4A is closed. Subsequently, the medication container 4 is attachedbackward with respect to the support 3, causing the front end of apressing wall 49, which is formed on a rear end of the upper surface ofthe support 3, to press the tip end of the leaf spring 39. This allowsthe leaf spring 39 to bow toward its base portion, disengaging thelocking portion 39 a of the leaf spring 39 from the teeth of thelarge-diameter gear 41 with which it engages, so as to be released fromthe locked state. Then, a driving gear (not shown) meshes with thesmall-diameter gear 45 and the large-diameter gear 41, enabling thesmall-diameter gear 45 and the large-diameter gear 41 to rotate aboutthe vertical axis 7.

When the driving gear is rotationally driven in this state, thesmall-diameter gear 45 and the large-diameter gear 41 rotate about theouter shaft member 34 and the inner shaft member 35, respectively, atdifferent speeds, which hence allows the lower rotating member 32 andthe upper rotating member 33 of the rotor 8 to rotate about the verticalaxis 7, together with the outer shaft member 34 and the inner shaftmember 35, at different speeds. The rotation at different speeds of thelower rotating member 32 and the upper rotating member 33 of the rotor 8allows the thrown-in pills 5 to be sufficiently stirred to be fed intothe medication holding passage 24.

When the pills 5 are vertically aligned relative to the medicationholding passage 24, the pills 5 above the separator 10 are separatedfrom the lower one (which is held within the medication holding passage24) by the separator 10 in such a manner that the separator 10 scoopsthe upper ones. Then, when the medication holding passage 24 with thepill 5 therein faces the medication discharge opening 22 in the verticaldirection, the pill 5 falls toward the medication discharge opening 22from the medication holding passage 24. In this case, the innerperipheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 can serve as a guidesurface for guiding the fall of the pill 5.

The front wall 50 of the medication discharge opening 22 is positionedin front of the radially inner surface 55 of the medication holdingpassage 24, and the rear wall 51 of the medication discharge opening 22is positioned behind the inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindricalbody 17. With this arrangement, it is possible to prevent the pills 5from coming into contact with the front wall 50 or the rear wall 51 whenthey reach the medication discharge opening 22.

Thus, even when the pill 5 has been electrically charged(electrostatically charged) by the stirring as described above or thelike, it is possible to effectively avoid the problem that the pills 5stick to the back side 13 b of the bottom wall plate 13 due to staticcharge and hence cannot easily fall to the pill passage hole, thanks tothe arrangement in which the lower surface 13 b of the bottom wall plate13, to which pills 5 generally tend to stick, is positioned apart fromthe pills 5.

Furthermore, the rear wall 51 is positioned behind the outer peripheralsurface 42 of the cylindrical body 17, and the cutout 56, which iscontinuous with the medication discharge opening 22, is formed at thelower end of the cylindrical body 17. Even in this structure, the cover58, covering a portion of the rear wall 51 of the medication dischargeopening 22 and the cutout 56 at their rear sides, can effectivelyprevent dust from entering into the cylindrical body 17 through theportion of the rear wall 51 and the cutout 56.

As a means to prevent the pills 5 from sticking to the container body 6due to static charge and allow them to fall smoothly from the medicationdischarge opening 22, the embodiments described above with reference toFIG. 1 to FIG. 15 has the structure in which the rear wall 51 ispositioned behind the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindricalbody 17 (radially outward of the cylindrical body 17) and the cutout 56is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical body 17 to be continuouswith the medication discharge opening 22.

It is to be understood, however, that the present invention is notlimited to these embodiments.

For example, as shown in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 16, thecutout 56 may not necessarily be provided. Alternatively, in theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 16, the rear wall 51 is furtherpositioned behind the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindricalbody 17.

In another embodiment illustrated in the enlarged sectional view of FIG.17, the rear wall 51 of the medication discharge opening 22 ispositioned behind the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindricalbody 17. In this embodiment, however, the medication discharge opening22 is formed to pass through the bottom wall plate 13 only in the areain front of the inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17,while the area in back of the inner peripheral surface 36 of thecylindrical body 17 is formed to be a recessed portion 70 where thelower surface 13 b of the bottom wall plate 13 is recessed upward. Inthis structure, the medication discharge opening 22 has a horizontal,stepped surface 71 that constitutes the recessed portion 70 between theupper surface 13 a and the lower surface 13 b of the bottom wall plate13 in the area close to the rear wall surface 51 of the medicationdischarge opening 22.

In another embodiment illustrated in the enlarged sectional view of FIG.18, the cylindrical body 17 is configured to have an inclined wallportion 72, which is formed by inclining downward (radially outward) thelower end of the cylindrical body 17 in the area that constitutes themedication discharge opening 22, so that the diameter of the lowerportion of the cylindrical body 17 is extended backward. The rear wall51 of the medication discharge opening 22 is positioned to be alignedwith the lower end of the inner peripheral surface 73 of the inclinedwall portion 72, so as to be formed in the vertical direction.

The embodiment illustrated in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 19 isdifferent from the embodiment of FIG. 18 in that the inner peripheralsurface 73 of the inclined wall portion 72 is further extended at thesame inclination angle, so that the lower end of the inner peripheralsurface 73 serves as an inclined rear wall 51.

Still other embodiments are illustrated in the enlarged sectional viewsof FIGS. 20 and 21. In either of the embodiments, the upper end of therear wall 51 is positioned aligned with the meeting position P3 wherethe inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 meets theupper surface 13 a of the bottom wall plate 13. In the examples shown inFIGS. 20 and 21, the rear wall 51, at least at its lower end, ispositioned radially outward of the meeting position P3.

In the example of FIG. 20, the rear wall 51 has an inclined surface thatis inclined backward toward the lower end.

In the example of FIG. 21, the rear wall 51 has a circular surface, withits lower end positioned backward.

The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 21 have the same structure asthose of FIGS. 1 to 15 except for the means for preventing the pills 5from sticking to the container body 6 due to static charge and ensuringsmooth falling of the pills 5 from the medication discharge opening 22.Accordingly, like reference numerals and symbols are used in FIGS. 16 to21 as those used in FIGS. 1 to 15, and a detailed description thereof isomitted.

In any of the above embodiments, the rear wall 51, at least at its lowerend, is positioned radially outward of the meeting position P3. Thisstructure ensures that the pills, as long as they reach the medicationdischarge opening 22, are in contact with less area of thecircumferential walls of the medication discharge opening 22 in thebackward area than in the case with conventional dispensing apparatus.Because of this, even when the pills 5 are electrically charged, theyare less likely to stick to the lower surface 13 b of the bottom wallplate 13 in the area behind the medication discharge opening 22.

Thus, the pills 5 smoothly fall from the medication discharge opening 22to reach the pill passage holes, and when they pass the pill passageholes, a sensor detects the discharge of the pills 5, so as to reliablydispense the pills 5.

In all of the above embodiments, the rear wall 51, at least at its lowerend, is positioned behind (radially outward of) the outer peripheralsurface 42 of the cylindrical body 17. However, this is not necessarilyrequired, and it is only necessary that the rear wall 51, at least atits lower end, be positioned radially outward of the meeting positionP3. Specifically, the rear wall 51 may have any of a vertical surface,an inclined surface and a circular surface, and the lower end thereofmay not necessarily be positioned behind the outer peripheral surface 42of the cylindrical body 17, but may be positioned at a locationcorresponding to somewhere between the inner peripheral surface 36 andthe outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindrical body 17.

Furthermore, in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 15, the upperwall surface 57 of the cutout 56 and the lower wall 63 of the extensionwall 61 have uneven surfaces in which recesses and projections arealternately formed in the circumferential direction. The recessed andprojecting portions 63 a and 63 b, which constitute the uneven surfaces,form streaks in the radially inward and outward direction across theuneven surfaces.

However, the recessed and projecting portions 63 a and 63 b, whichconstitute the uneven surfaces, may not necessarily extend in theradially inward and outward direction, but may extend in thecircumferential or the right and left direction. It is also preferablethat the recessed and projecting portions 63 a and 63 b be formed in adirection in which they are inclined with respect to the radially inwardand outward direction (front and back direction), and that they bearranged to be like a mesh. Furthermore, the uneven surfaces may beengraved or textured to have a textured surface with a large number ofdimples (e.g., minute recesses), rather than a streaked surface.

Furthermore, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16, the unevensurface is preferably formed on the lower surface of the cylindricalbody 17 at the portion that faces the medication discharge opening 22.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17, the uneven surface ispreferably formed on the stepped surface 71.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 18, the uneven surface ispreferably formed on the inner peripheral surface 73 of the inclinedwall portion 72.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 19, the uneven surface ispreferably formed on the inner peripheral surface 73 of the inclinedwall portion 72.

In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, the uneven surface ispreferably formed on the rear wall 51, a portion of the lower end of thecylindrical body 17 in these embodiments, which constitutes themedication discharge opening 22.

By providing the uneven surface as described above, it is possible tomore reliably cause the pills 5 to fall from the medication dischargeopening 22 even when they are electrically charged.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE CODES

1: medication dispensing apparatus, 2: body, 3: support, 4: medicationcontainer, 5: pill, 6: container body, 8: rotor, 12: bottom wallsection, 13: bottom wall plate, 13 a: upper surface, 13 b: lowersurface, 14: medication holding section, 17: cylindrical body, 18: upperholder, 22: medication discharge opening, 24: medication holdingpassage, 36: inner peripheral surface, 42: outer peripheral surface, 50:front wall, 51: rear wall, 52, 53: side wall, 55: radially innersurface, 56: cutout, 57: upper wall surface, 58: cover, 60: rising wall,61: extension wall, 62: inner wall, 63: lower wall, 63 a, 63 b: recessedand projecting portions, 64: vertical wall piece, 70: recessed portion,71: stepped surface, 72: inclined wall portion, 73: inner peripheralsurface, P3: meeting position

1. A medication container, comprising: a container body having a bottomwall section and a medication holding section disposed on an uppersurface of the bottom wall section, the medication holding sectionhaving a cylindrical body rising from the upper surface of the bottomwall section, the cylindrical body being configured to allow a rotor tobe disposed radially inside, and the rotor being rotatable about avertical axis, the rotor having a medication holding passage formedvertically by recessing a portion of the outer circumferential surfaceof the rotor radially inward; the bottom wall section having amedication discharge opening formed in a portion of the bottom wallsection to allow medications to fall to be discharged through themedication discharge opening, and the rotor rotating to cause themedication holding passage and the medication discharge opening tovertically face each other to allow medications held in the medicationholding passage to pass through the medication discharge opening to falltherefrom, wherein a wall in a radially outward area of the medicationdischarge opening, at least at its lower end, is positioned radiallyoutward of a meeting position where an inner peripheral surface of thecylindrical body meets the upper surface of the bottom wall section. 2.The medication container according to claim 1, wherein a radially outerportion of the medication discharge opening is positioned radiallyoutward of the outer surface of the cylindrical body.
 3. The medicationcontainer according to claim 1, wherein a cutout is formed at a lowerend of the cylindrical body to be recessed upward to be continuous withthe medication discharge opening.
 4. The medication container accordingto claim 3, wherein an upper surface of the cutout is positioned higherthan the upper surface of the bottom wall section.
 5. The medicationcontainer according to claim 4, wherein a cover is provided for coveringthe medication discharge opening and the cutout from radially outside ofthe cylindrical body.
 6. The medication container according to claim 3,wherein an upper surface of the cutout is an uneven surface in whichrecesses and projections are alternately formed.
 7. The medicationcontainer according to claim 1, wherein the medication discharge openingis formed to have a substantially rectangular shape as viewed in plan,and an outer wall as a radially outward wall of the medication dischargeopening and an inner wall at a radially inward portion face each otherin the radially inward and outward direction.
 8. A medication dispensingapparatus including the medication container according to claim 1 in anattachable and detachable manner.